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Bicyle die-hards headed to the newly opened eastern span of the Bay Bridge on Tuesday morning, even though the full route won't be completed for the next two or three years.
Bob Redell reports. (Published Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2013)

Bicycle die-hards headed to the newly opened eastern span of the Bay Bridge on Tuesday morning, even though the full route won't be completed for the next two or three years.

Still, the mood was joyous as cycling enthusiasts were able to pump their legs between Oakland and Treasure Island, enjoying the sweeping views of the San Francisco Bay.

Bay Bridge Opening Ceremony

Oakland Mayor Jean Quan was the first to pedal across the 2.2-mile span - which stops short of Yerba Buena Island and doesn't fully connect to San Francisco. She joined the mayor of Emeryville and dozens of other riders who wanted to test out the 15.5-foot wide bicycle and pedestrian path on the south side of the bridge. The ride is for the beauty - not for the commuting possibilities between the Bay Area's largest cities.

New Bay Bridge Eastern Span

From the East Bay, the bike path can be picked up in both Oakland and Emeryville. The formal name of the path is the "Alexander Zuckerman Bike Path," named after the late East Bay Bike Coalition's founding chair. Zuckerman's two sons, Ron and David, were on hand at Tuesday's ceremony to honor their father's legacy.

For now, the path ends past the new bridge's lone tower, which is technically inside San Francisco city limits, but doesn't take riders all the way into the city.

The path is expected to be fully connected to Treasure Island sometime in 2015 after crews dismantle portions of the original bridge, including the S-Curve detour created in 2009, in order to install the rest of the path and connect it to Yerba Buena Island, as well as replace the temporary path at Oakland Touchdown.

During construction, the bike path will close at night and reopen every morning.